Device for preventing sloughing of yarn convolutions from a bobbin



Oct. 19, 1965 E. FINDLOW ET AL 3,212,728

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SLOUGHING OF YARN CONVOLUTIONS FROM A BOBBIN Filed June 25, 1965 INVENTOR ERIC FINDLOW RAYMOND HOLDEN United States Patent 3,212,728 DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SLOUGHING 0F YARN CONVOLUTIONS FROM A BOBBIN Eric Findlow and Raymond Holden, 'Macclesfield, England, assignors to Ernest Scragg & Sons Limited,

Macclesfield, England Filed June 25, 1953, Ser. No. 290,533 4 Claims. (Cl. 242-128) The present invention relates to devices for controlling the movement of yarn from bobbins, and in particular the present invention relates to devices for preventing the sloughing of yarn convolutions particularly from the tapered end of a bobbin.

Thus, it has long been known in connection with the uptwisting of textile yarns to rotate a bobbin of yarn and to withdraw the yarn overend, so as to apply twist of a desired amount to the yarn. During such withdrawal of yarn a balloon is formed, the dimensions and shape of the balloon being determined by a number of parameters, including the size of the bobbin, the nature of the wind of the yarn on the bobbin, its denier, rate of twist, and the length of the balloon, which of course varies in dependence on which part of the bobbin is being unwound at any particular instant. Hitherto, bobbins of yarn as supplied by the manufactures have presented tapered ends either at the top or at the top and bottom, and more particularly in connection with bobbins of yarns made from synthetic materials. The weight of the bobbin has been such that its overall diameter has been of a relatively small value, so that little or no trouble has been experienced owing to snarling of the yarn as it leaves the bobbin.

However, since the introduction of larger packages of a weight up to and possibly exceeding two pounds of yarn, it has been found that there is a tendency during uptwisting for the yarn to slough, more particularly when unwinding takes place from the upper end of the package, the sloughing causing rings or convolutions of yarn to be displaced from the surface of the bobbin which, in turn, causes snarling and yarn breakage. Such sloughing may also take place from the bottom of the bobbin if the bobbin has a tapered bottom.

Although the precise cause for such sloughing of the yarn convolutions has not been clearly established, it is very likely due to displacement of several convolutions of yarn simultaneously due to the fact that the pull of the yarn in the balloon is in such a direction as to cause the convolutions to slip on the conical surface of the tapered end of the bobbin. Of course, such sloughing results from the existence of a component of the yarn tension force in the balloon which extends in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the bobbin and which is directed away from the center of the bobbin so that this component of force tends to urge the yarn convolutions at the tapered end of a bobbin toward the smaller end of the taper so that these convolutions will slip or slough in their entirety producing the above-discussed diificulties.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a structure which will reliably prevent sloughing of the type referred to above, so that in this way the snarling which inevitably results from such sloughing will be reliably avoided.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an exceedingly simple device which will reliably prevent sloughing of yarn convolutions particularly from the tapered end of a bobbin.

It is furthermore an object of the present invention to provide a structure which can easily and quickly be attached to or removed from a bobbin-carrying spindle 3,212,728 Patented Oct. 19, 1965 so as to have an operative relation with respect to a bobbin which will reliably prevent sloughing of the yarn convolutions.

With these objects in view, the invention includes in a device for preventing sloughing of yarn convolutions from the tapered end of a bobbin, a ring and a positioning means operatively connected to the ring for positioning the latter in a position surrounding the bobbin and located between the ends thereof at a location which compels yarn drawn from the tapered end of the bobbin to pass between the bobbin and the ring before leaving the bobbin so that the yarn drawn from the end of the bobbin necessarily moves toward the center thereof so as to prevent yarn convolutions from sloughing at the tapered end of the bobbin.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional side elevational illustrating a spindle means carrying a bobbin which is illustrated in dot-dash lines and also connected to a device according to the present invention from preventing yarn convolutions from sloughing from the tapered end of the bobbin; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective illustration of the upper end of the spindle means of FIG. 1, showing part of the structure for connecting the device of the present invention to the spindle means.

There is illustrated in FIG. 1 a bobbin 11 shown in dot-dash lines, and in the illustrated example this bobbin has a taper only at its upper end, although the invention is also applicable to bobbins which are tapered at both ends. When yarnis withdrawn from the bobbin 11, particularly from the tapered end thereof, if the yarn is pulled in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the bobbin but extending away from the center thereof then the convolutions of the yarn at the tapered end of the bobbin 11 will be urged toward the smaller end of the taper often resulting in undesirable sloughing of the yarn convolutions with the resulting snarling and breakage, as referred to above.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a ring 14 which is positioned by a suitable positioning means which is connected to the ring 14 in a position situated between the ends of the bobbin while surrounding the latter, as indicated in FIG. 1 where the ring 14 is shown surrounding the tapered portion of the bobbin, although it is to be understood that the ring 14 could be of a larger diameter and located closer to the center of the bobbin. The result of this construction is that when yarn is withdrawn from the tapered end of the bobbin, this yarn is compelled to pass between the bobbin and the ring 14 before leaving the bobbin. In other words the yarn cannot leave the bobbin simply in a direction extending from the top end of the bobbin, as viewed in FIG. 1, and thus because the yarn must first pass between the bobbin and the ring 14, the pull in the yarn has a component directed generally parallel to the axis of the bobbin and toward the center thereof so that the convolutions at the tapered end of the bobbin, if they tend to slip, are necessarily urged toward the thicker portion of the bobbin so that as a result these convolutions are tightly held on the bobbin and cannot slough therefrom.

In the particular example illustrated in the drawings the ring 14 is connected to the spindle means 13 which carries the bobbin in a manner well known in the art. However, it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to a structure for connecting the ring 14 to the bobbin itself rather than to the spindle which carries the bobbin. The positioning means for positioning the ring 14 includes in the illustrated example a frustoconical member 12 which is connected to the ring 14, the latter being situated at the larger end of the frustoconical member, and, as illustrated, it is preferred to make the ring 14 integral with the frustoconical member 12. This frustoconical member 12 carries at its smaller end a tubular member, which is also integral with the frustoconical member 12, and this tubular member freely surrounds the upper free end of the spindle means 13, as indicated in FIG. 1. The connecting means for connecting the ring 14 to the spindle means 13 includes a bayonet connection, in the illustrated example, and this bayonet connection includes the pair of slots 15 formed in opposed side surface portions of the spindle means 13 at its upper end, as indicated in FIG. 2, and a pair of bayonet pins 16 carried by the tubular member which is integral with the frustoconical member 12 and adapted to be received in the bayonet slots 15. Thus, with this construction all that the operator need do is slip the frustoconical member 12 onto the top end of the spindle means with the pins 16 passing downwardly along the slots 15 until they reach the lower end thereof, and then the operator need only turn the frustoconical member 12 in one direction or the other through a slight distance to locate the pins 16 in the wider lower end portion of the slots 15 so as to prevent separation of the frustoconical member 12 from the spindle means, and thus the ring 14 is positioned in this way in a location situated between the ends of the bobbin to compel the yarn which is drawn from the tapered end thereof to pass between the bobbin and the ring thus producing the results described above. The bobbin 11 is shown in FIG. 1 after a considerable amount ofyarn has been withdrawn therefrom. Initially the frustoconical member 12 extends downwardly from the top end of the bobbin over the tapered end thereof, and there is only a small space between the inner surface of the frustoconical member 12 and the surface of'the tapered end of the bobbin. During uptwisting the yarn is of course pulled downwardly from the conical tapered end of the bobbin, and therefore will run over the ring 14 at the lower end of the conical member 12, thus tending to pull any loose or partially loose convolutions on the taper back into position. As Wasmentioned above, the lower end of the frustoconical member 12 where the ring 14 is located can extend fully over the conical end of the bobbin rather than partially thereover.

In the case of a bobbin which is wound with a taper at both of its ends, two conical members 12 and rings 14 will be provided, one at the base of the bobbin with the ring 14 located at the upper end of the frustoconical member in this case, and one at the top end of the bobbin as shown in FIG. 1, and the rings 14 of such an assembly are separated from each other by a distancesuflicient to enable the yarn to unwind freely from the bobbin into the balloon. With such a construction the yarn is always pulled off each tapered end of the bobbin in a direction which will reliably hold potentially loose yarn convolutions on the tapered ends of the bobbins, rather than allowing these convolutions to slip off toward the ends of the bobbin.

Of course, the use of frustoconical members such as the member 12 to carry the ring 14 is not essential. Any construction which compels the yarn to move from the surface of the bobbin into the balloon in a direction which prevents sloughing of potentially loose turns from. the tapered end or ends of the bobbin will produce the desired results. However, the use of a frustoconical member 12 is preferred since such a member provides not only a reliable solid support for the ring 14 around the entire circumference thereof, but in addition it is possible to provide such a frustoconical member with small air scoops arranged to direct currents of air over the bobbin in a direction from the ends of the bobbin toward the center thereof, so that in this way it is possible to further control the movement of the yarn.

Since the yarn moving from the tapered end of the bobbin necessarily slips along the ring 14 while moving around the latter, this ring 14 is preferably made of a wear-resistant plastic, and of course Where the frustoconical member 12 is integral with the ring 14, this member 12 will also be made of the same material.

It will thus be seen that with the structure of the invention the balloon tension has a component parallel to the axis of rotation of the bobbin but changed from one point ing towards the end of the bobbin to one which points toward the center of the bobbin, so that the convolutions at the tapered end of the bobbin will be urged toward the thicker end of the taper to reliably maintain these convolutions on the bobbin.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of textile machines differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in devices for preventing sloughing of yarn convolutions from a bobbin, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for preventing sloughing of yarn convolutions particularly from the tapered end of a bobbin, comprising, in combination, spindle means adapted to support a bobbin from which yarn is to be withdrawn; a ring; and connecting means connecting said ring to said spindle means in a position where said ring surrounds a bobbin on said spindle means between the ends of the bobbin at an axial location at which yarn which is withdrawn from a tapered end of the bobbin across and in contact with the ring has, between the bobbin and the ring, a direction such that the yarn leaving the bobbin necessarily moves from the tapered end of the bobbin toward the center of the bobbin so as to oppose any tendency of adjacent yarn convolutions to move on the bobbin.

2. A device for preventing sloughing of yarn convolutions particularly from the tapered end of a bobbin, comprising, in combination, spindle means adapted to support a bobbin from which yarn is to be withdrawn and which has a cylindrical portion and at least One tapered end; a ring; and connecting means having an inner face and an outer face, at least said inner face being of substantially'conical configuration, said connecting means connecting said ring to said spindle means in a position where said ring surrounds the tapered end of a bobbin on said spindle means at a location short of said cylindrical portion, thereby compelling yarn which is withdrawn from a tapered end of the bobbin to pass over the ring before leaving the tapered end of the bobbin so that the yarn necessarily moves from the tapered end of the bobbin toward the .center of the bobbin to prevent sloughing of convolutions of yarn from the tapered end of the bobbin, said connecting means including a bayonet connection to said spindle means.

3. A device for preventing sloughing of yarn convolutions particularly from the tapered end of a bobbin, comprising, in combination, spindle means adapted to support a bobbin from which yarn is to be withdrawn; a ring; and connecting means connecting said ring to said spindle means in a position where said ring surrounds a bobbin on said spindle means between the ends of the bobbin at a location compelling yarn which is withdrawn from a tapered end of the bobbin to pass between the bobbin and the ring before leaving the tapered end of the bobbin so that the yarn necessarily moves from the tapered end of the bobbin toward the center of the bobbin to prevent sloughing of convolutions of yarn from the tapered end of the bobbin, said connecting means including a bayonet connection to said spindle means, said bayonet connection being carried in part by a tubular member surrounding the spindle means, and said connecting means including in addition to said tubular member a frustoconical member fixed to said tubular member and to said ring.

4. A device for preventing sloughing of yarn convolutions particularly from the tapered end of a bobbin, comprising, in combination, spindle means adapted to support a bobbin from which yarn is to be withdrawn; a ring; and connecting means connecting said ring to said spindle means in a position where said ring surrounds a bobbin on said spindle means between the ends of the bobbin at a location compelling yarn which is withdrawn from a tapered end of the bobbin to pass between the bobbin and the ring before leaving the tapered end of the bobbin so that the yarn necessarily moves from the tapered end of the bobbin toward the center of the bobbin to prevent sloughing of convolutions of yarn from the tapered end of the bobbin, said connecting means including a bayonet connection to said spindle means, said bayonet connection being carried in part by a tubular member surrounding the spindle means, and said connecting means including in addition to said tubular member a frustoconical member fixed to said tubular member and to said ring, said frustoconical member having a pair of opposite ends one of which is larger than the other and said ring being integrally connected with said frustoconical member at said larger end thereof, the smaller end of said frustoconical member being connected to said tubular member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR PREVENTING SLOUGHING OF YARN CONVOLUTIONS PARTICULARLY FROM THE TAPERED END OF A BOBBIN, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, SPINDLE MEANS ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A BOBBIN FROM WHICH YARN IS TO BE WITHDRAWN; A RING; AND CONNECTING MEANS CONNECTING SAID RING TO SAID SPINDLE MEANS IN A POSITION WHERE SAID RING SURROUNDS A BOBBIN ON SAID SPINDLE MEANS BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE BOBBIN AT AN AXIAL LOCATION AT WHICH YARN WHICH IS WITHDRAWN FROM A TAPERED END OF THE BOBBIN ACROSS AND IN CONTACT WITH THE RING HAS, BETWEEN THE BOBBIN AND THE RING, A DIRECTION SUCH THAT THE YARN LEAVING THE BOBBIN NECESSARILY MOVES FROM THE TAPERED END OF THE BOBBIN TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE BOBBIN SO AS TO OPPOSE ANY TENDENCY OF ADJACENT YARN CONVOLUTIONS TO MOVE ON THE BOBBIN. 